Return To Me
by faithsydney
Summary: Sydney wants Vaughn back
1. Chapter 1 Part 1

"Return to Me" Chapter 1 Part 1  
  
The wedding had been beautiful. Clearly, they were perfect for each other. Green eyes, and brown- they were sure to make a beautiful baby some day soon. She had gotten pregnant on accident, but they were still proud parents-to-be as anyone else would be. They had a healthy, strong baby; at least that's what the doctor said. It was sure to be smart- they were both geniuses.  
  
Marshall and Carrie danced their first dance as a married couple. Carrie was about eight months pregnant, at almost thirty-one weeks. They had invited all of their friends and family. The Vaughns, Lauren and Michael, were there. Sydney and her father, Jack Bristow was there also. The Bristows had an interesting relationship; gradually, they were getting closer. Jack still didn't like Michael, but Sydney was still in love with him. She still cried herself to sleep. Lauren and Michael were slowly drifting apart. Michael remembered why he fell in love with Lauren- she was so much like Sydney; her spirit, and her passion for her job; she just wasn't Sydney. To say that Michael loved Sydney was an understatement. There isn't a word to describe how he felt about her.  
  
Before their wedding, Marshall and Carrie formulated a plan to get Sydney and Michael to at least admit how they felt about each other. Marshall was to dance with Sydney, and Michael with Carrie. At the given signal, from Carrie, they would switch so that Michael was dancing with Sydney and Marshall with Carrie. They knew that Lauren wasn't right for Michael, but at the time of their marriage, no one could say anything that would make sense to stop them. They had thought Sydney was dead.  
  
"How are you, Michael?" Carrie asked.  
  
"Good. Thank you. You look beautiful, even though you don't feel it."  
  
"You're right. I look like a whale, and I still have a month to go."  
  
"You're pretty good at this dancing, even for someone who's pregnant." Carrie hit him in the arm.  
  
"Ow!" he said, "I guess I deserved that."  
  
Across the room, Sydney had been dancing with Marshall.  
  
"Having fun, Sydney?" Marshall asked, with a big smile.  
  
"Yes, Marshall, I am. Thank you."  
  
"Who are you here with?"  
  
"Just my dad," she said with a sigh. Marshall knew she was thinking about Michael once again. Carrie gave the signal, almost unnoticeable.  
  
"Hey, Sydney, do you mind if we switch? Carrie wants to tell me something."  
  
"Oh, not at all." Marshall turned Sydney so that she ended up in Michael's arms. When Sydney realized she was dancing with Michael, she quickly thought of a way to get out of it, she had been avoiding him more and more lately. The pain hurt too badly.  
  
"Excuse me," she said, and turned around and walked out of the hall. She never turned her head to look back. She couldn't let him see how much he affected her, still; she didn't want him to see her cry, especially over him.  
  
"Sydney! Wait!" he called after her. Lauren watched the whole thing from the side of the room. She had never liked Marshall or Carrie. She was nice to them, though. They were Michael's friends.  
  
Sydney went outside. She went across the way to where with a center pond with a fountain in it stood. There was a gate around it, not much shorter than her. She needed to let her mind drift. She knew Michael had followed her, but she didn't know for how far.  
  
He walked outside and down the steps of the hall. He walked up behind her, loud enough so that she would know he was there, but still quiet enough so that he wouldn't look conspicuous.  
  
"Want to talk about what just happened in there? I know you have been avoiding me, and I want that to stop."  
  
"You of all people, Vaughn, should know why I'm acting like this." She had tears coming down her face, but she had kept her voice steady.  
  
"Then I'm guessing this is about Lauren, something that I thought you had moved passed, both of you. I told you that I didn't regret moving on. I still don't. I do regret giving up on you, but I just couldn't take it anymore. Weiss told you a while back that when I lost you, I disappeared. I went to France, to visit my family. I tried to forget about you, but everywhere I went, I thought about how much you would like being there with me. Then I met Lauren, it was right before I left the Agency. She saved me. I love her for that."  
  
"You love her just because she saved your life? I did that three years ago, in FRANCE!"  
  
"But you died to me." "I'm here now!"  
  
"You can't expect me to just drop everything in my life just because you came back!" He regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth. He knew she would have done that for him.  
  
"You're right, Vaughn. I can't. If you'll excuse me now, I'm going to go find Marshall and Carrie and tell them goodbye." She began to walk away, but he called her again.  
  
"Sydney." She turned around to see what he would say. There was nothing. He had nothing to say.  
  
"Good night, Vaughn." With that she turned and headed for the hall in search of the newlyweds. She found them happily dancing.  
  
"Hi guys. I'm going to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow. The wedding was beautiful. Carrie, you look incredible. Bye." She turned around and left, but Carrie tried, as best she could, to chase after her.  
  
"Sydney, wait." Carrie had become her closest girlfriend, as much as that's possible. "Sydney. What happened out there?"  
  
"Some things that needed to be said finally got said. Not everything, but some things. I'm going to go now though, before I draw even more attention to myself." 


	2. Chapter 1 Part 2

Chapter 1 Part 2  
  
It was about 8:30 when Jack finally got Sydney home. After he left, partially assured that she was ok, she burst into tears, and spent another night, crying herself to sleep. She only slept for about a half an hour when the phone rang. When she answered, it was a groggy, mumbled 'hello.'  
  
"Joey's Pizza?" Inwardly, she groaned. She didn't want to meet him there of all places now.  
  
"Wrong number." She heard him hang up on the other end.  
  
She arrived at the warehouse about ten minutes later. Michael was already there.  
  
"Sydney..what happened?" She didn't know what he was talking about for a minute, but then she realized it. She hadn't done anything to herself, this is what she looked like after she had been crying, and sleeping. He had never seen that.  
  
"This is how I normally look, Michael. Nothing happened. I was asleep, because I cried myself that way. This is how much it hurts." Talk about guilt. "What is it you had to tell me that you couldn't tell me on the phone?"  
  
"I feel like my entire world has been turned upside down. I feel like I'm in this nightmare and I can't wake up. I love Lauren, but I love you too. After you left, your dad called me. "  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"Mr. Vaughn, I don't know what you said to my daughter, but whatever it was it hurt her. I know my daughter well enough to know that if I were to do anything to you, which has crossed my mind many times, I would lose any relationship I had with her. I was shocked to hear that you were able to move on so fast after Sydney. It makes me wonder if you truly loved my daughter. I never thought you were good enough for her, I still don't. You made her happy, so I kept my mouth shut. Now, it is you that causes her pain. You need to make a choice Mr. Vaughn. You need to choose whom it is you want to be with. If you choose Lauren, move away so that she can move on. If you choose Sydney, then welcome to the family."  
  
"Jack, you should know that I loved your daughter. I will always love her. I still do and that's why it's killing me."  
  
"Then I would suggest you make a choice." Jack hung up before he could reply. *End Flashback*  
  
"I thought about it, and your father is right, I need to choose. I called you to tell you that, and that I love you. Everything I told you before the two years, before we got together, it's all still true. You can call me for anything, at any time, and I will always be your ally."  
  
"Don't you get it? I can't call you! You are the one person I can't call. Anything you say will make me hurt that much more, because I want to believe you."  
  
"Then believe me." She was crying, again. "What do you want from me?"  
  
"You know what I want."  
  
"You'd think that, wouldn't you? On the off chance that I do, I need you to tell me, just to be sure."  
  
"I can't. You aren't mine to tell it to."  
  
"All you have to do is tell me, and then I could be."  
  
"Vaughn, it's not that simple. I can't tell you. I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't do that." Before he said anything, she turned around and walked away. She got in her car and went home.  
  
It was about 10:45 when she reached home. Since tomorrow was Saturday, she went and took a long bath before she went to sleep.  
  
She slept, somewhat peacefully, with the exception of the nightmares the people in that group told her she would have. They were memories, of her and Vaughn together, all the time. Every dream she had all had them together. It was always the same dream too, a clip of different points of their relationship. Starting with the kiss and ending when she fainted. She always woke up when she fainted, she didn't want to know what happened.  
  
After Sydney left the warehouse, Vaughn waited there a few minutes. He sat on one of the boxes, and thought. He knew he had to make a decision. How, he didn't. For someone who was as smart as he, he felt like the dumbest person on the planet. He couldn't make his decision here. He had to go away, but where? It had to be somewhere that he would not be reminded of either of them. He wanted to make the decision on his own, without the help of his surroundings. He couldn't go to Santa Barbara, or San Francisco, or Washington, or Langley. He couldn't visit any of the states near Washington. He couldn't go to Florida, or Colorado. Where was he going to go? He knew of a place about two hours away, Big Bear Lake. He knew someone who had a cabin up there. At this time of year, it was sure to be beautiful. There were places to go hiking, a great way for him to think. Now he just had to get Lauren to agree to let him go by himself. She was acting weird lately.  
  
He went home, Lauren was asleep. He went to sleep, knowing the next morning, he would have to prepare to leave.  
  
The next morning, he did that. Lauren had gotten mad that he was leaving but let him go anyway. He called Dixon and told him that he needed time off. Dixon let him go. Then he called to find a cabin to rent for about three days. There was one available. He left about a half an hour later, with his bags and Donavan. He arrived two hours later; traffic was on his side this morning. He got the key and went inside the cabin. He unpacked and went outside to look around. There were a few trails and a lake about half a mile away. The trees were changing colors, it was a beautiful sight. He was going to try not to think about the decision yet. He was going to relax first. He knew that would never happen, however. He knew that Sydney was being sent half way around the world, and he worried, like usual. He worried about Lauren, too. He didn't even want to think about what she would say when he got back. He would just have to be prepared to let one of them down, hoping that it was the right decision. 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
In a day's time, Michael had grown restless. He didn't leave the cabin again after he had bought groceries. He had completely cut himself off from the world. He tried anything he could think of to make his decision. He paced back and forth; he made a list; he even thought about all the memories that he had with Lauren and then with Sydney. He remembered all the hockey practices he and Sydney had. Lauren had never liked hockey, but she cheered him on. He even thought about where he proposed, or in Sydney's case, was going to. He had proposed to Lauren in Rome at Tratorriti Di Nardi's. He was going to propose to Sydney in Santa Barbara, on the beach, at sunset.  
  
The next day, he tried to think about only Lauren, but failed miserably. He went on a hike with Donavan, and then jogged to the store, after putting Donny up. He hadn't left the cabin, so all he had done yesterday was eat. He needed more food. As he would become deep in thought about Lauren, his thoughts always turned to Sydney. This caused him to eat a lot more than usual.  
  
That night, he dreamt of Sydney, and Lauren. He dreamt of what they've probably said to each other, how they've acted around each other. It couldn't have been good. The next day, he tried to only think about Sydney. It proved to be much easier- they had a longer history, but Lauren always crept in there.  
  
He had been there for three days, and he still hadn't made a decision. He had one day left. He did not want to come home to Jack Bristow undecided.  
  
The fourth morning, he looked over the list again.  
  
Pros- Lauren Beautiful Smart Strong Good at what she does. Doesn't know the long history of our relationship  
  
Pros- Sydney Talented Smart Beautiful Strong Have a connection with  
  
Cons- Lauren Doesn't like friends Jealous Demanding Doesn't have patience  
  
Cons- Sydney Headstrong Doesn't like Lauren Doesn't trust me Long history  
  
After looking over his list once more, he made his decision. 


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
When he got home that afternoon, Vaughn went to find Sydney. He went to her apartment; he went to the Joint Task Force; he went to the pier, to the observatory, he even went to the train station.  
  
He gave up on trying to find her, he would just call her later. He went to a café and ordered coffee. He sat and read the newspaper. He didn't have to go in today. He thought about everywhere he had just been, all the memories he had with Sydney there. He and Lauren didn't have many memories in Los Angeles- they were in Washington most of the time- the times they weren't saving the world.  
  
He called Weiss after being home for an hour. He told him to meet him in a restaurant not far from his house. He was going to tell Weiss about his decision.  
  
Eric arrived about 10 minutes after Michael had.  
  
"Hey man."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"So what's up?"  
  
"I think I've decided. I'm going to stay with Lauren. She has to go back to Washington soon. I'll just transfer."  
  
"You know Sydney is going to hurt 10 times more than she does now, right?"  
  
"I know. You are the only one I trust that will keep her safe."  
  
"I will. You know, she was asking what Lauren was like? I t was a while back. She wants you to be happy, but she also wants you with her. She still cries herself to sleep. She'd probably kick my butt if she knew I was telling you this."  
  
"She probably- wait. She cries herself to sleep? When did she start that?"  
  
"About two weeks after she got back. It's gotten worse since the nightmares started."  
  
"What nightmares?"  
  
"She gets them from her memories, and from the missing two years."  
  
"You and she must be getting really close now."  
  
"I guess we have." There was a silence. Michael was thinking about what Eric had just said. He wondered of anything would ever come of their closeness. He couldn't say that he wanted Sydney to be alone because he didn't. He wanted her to be happy- just not with Eric. It would have been too weird from him.  
  
He couldn't believe the amount of jealousy that swept over him. His two best friends having a chance at love, he should be happy. Then why was he so jealous?  
  
He noticed the uncomfortable look Eric had on his face, so he decided he should leave. He had to tell Lauren of his decision. He assumed Eric would tell Sydney.  
  
~~~~~ At the same time, Sydney and Lauren were in a briefing. Neither knew that Michael was back. They had had their share of words to each other while he was gone. "  
  
We have received Intel regarding Sark's location. He was last seen with this man," Dixon says, as he puts a picture on the screen," Boris Vladimir, he worked in the embassy with Sark's father. Sark was trying to investigate the murder of his father. Vladimir had a security camera placed in the office. The NSC has asked for Sydney to accompany Lauren in retrieving it."  
  
"Mr. Dixon, I'm not field rated."  
  
"Consider yourself promoted. Your plane leaves in an hour." Lauren and Sydney gave each other angry looks.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Sydney got home with only minor battle scars. She had a run-in with a guard. He attacked her by surprise. He had a knife, but before he had managed to hurt her, she knocked it out of his hands and then proceeded to knock him out. She had hit him really hard, as if she was taking her anger out on him. On the way home, however, she had another 'exchanging of words' with Lauren. Lauren had come to sit in front Sydney. It started out as a casual conversation, but soon became heated.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"I think I will transfer to Washington. I think it would be best for all of us. At least I won't be in the way of your marriage anymore."  
  
"My marriage?! Since when are you concerned about my marriage?"  
  
"Vaughn is the one I'm concerned about. He should be happy- should be happy with you. My family has already caused him too much pain. He doesn't need that anymore."  
  
"You're right. He doesn't need any more pain. I hope you are prepared to say good-bye to Michael on Monday. I'll make sure your transfer is on Tuesday."  
  
"You'll make sure that my transfer is on Tuesday? Since when do you have the authority or the clearance to do that?"  
  
"I don't, but if I were to request it to Lindsay, who does have the clearance, he would authorize it. You are not the only one with high- ranking connections. You've seemed to think that because you're father is a senior officer, on probation, I might add, that you may have free run of everything. I'm here to tell you that it's not true. Since you have returned from what can only be described as the dead, Michael and my marriage has done nothing but suffer. It is my opinion that you are the cause of it."  
  
"I don't know where you could have gotten that idea. I have done nothing to your husband. I may still love him- something that will never change, but I have not and will not act on those feelings, so don't you dare accuse me of causing problems in your marriage."  
  
"My marriage was fine before you came back. It was honest. It was loving. It all started snowballing, as you American's say, when you came back. That was when we had to lie to each other. That was when our fights started. You don't need to worry about my marriage. It will be fine once you are gone."  
  
*End Flashback*  
  
For the second time that week, Sydney cried herself to sleep over Michael C. Vaughn. 


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
When Lauren got home that night, Michael was asleep. She climbed into bed and fell asleep herself.  
  
The next morning, Michael woke up to find Lauren next to him. He quietly got up and made coffee. He took Donovan and went for a run. When he got home, he took his shower, and shaved, and he headed to the task force.  
  
Sydney was already there. She hadn't slept well that night, and decided to come in early.  
  
She noticed Vaughn come in, and caught his eye. They walked toward each other.  
  
Trying to hold back tears, she stood still in front of him.  
  
"I'm transferring to Washington. I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I won't be here for most of the day, and you can thank your wife for my transfer." With that, she walked toward the restroom to dry her eyes. Michael stood there, in shock. He couldn't believe what she had said. He didn't think Lauren would do that. Then again, she had threatened Sydney with it before.  
  
About the time he came out of shock, he saw Lauren walk past him. He walked over to her and stopped directly in front of her.  
  
"Hi honey!" she said.  
  
"We need to talk," he said. He was angry, and was getting angrier by the minute. He walked away, but she followed.  
  
"Michael. Where are you going?"  
  
"Meet me at home, in 10 minutes." He didn't wait to see what she said.  
  
At exactly 10 minutes later, she drove up and walked inside. She found Michael in the kitchen, pacing.  
  
"Michael, what is the meaning of this?!"  
  
"You had Sydney transferred to Washington? Did you not realize that her entire life is here? You had no right to do that." "Excuse me, but she told me she was going to do it. I just made she went through with it."  
  
"You still had no right to do that. That will always be her decision."  
  
"Not anymore. It's already been authorized." He couldn't believe she had done that. How did he choose her over Sydney? Sydney was always the one for him.  
  
"You want to know why I went."  
  
"I know, you told me. It was because you wanted to take a break from all the stress from coming back brought on."  
  
"That's not why I went away. I went to decide whether or not I wanted you or Sydney. I chose you, although, now, I don't know why."  
  
"I knew this was about her. It's always about her."  
  
"You say 'her' like Sydney's a terrorist or something. I have to tell you, she's not. I would know. I love her. I will always love her, whether I'm married to you or not." He had only realized what he said, after he said it.  
  
Without a word, he turned around and left. He got in his car and drove.  
  
He ended up at Sydney's house, not really knowing how he got there.  
  
He got out, and went to the front door. He knocked and waited. There was no movement inside. He decided to go to Weiss's, she might be there. Weiss was standing in his front yard, waving at Michael. 


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
"Weiss? What are you doing out here?"  
  
"Waiting for you. I figured you would come over here," At the confused look on Michael's face, he continued, "Lauren called. She said you guys had a fight and you got up and left. She said it was over Sydney. She was really worried when you just left. I thought you might come here, so here I am."  
  
"Okay, I'm still confused. Where is Syd?"  
  
"On a plane," he looked at his watch, "flying over Kansas."  
  
"She left? I thought she wasn't leaving until tomorrow."  
  
"She was, but after whatever happened this morning, she decided to leave earlier."  
  
"Do you know where she is? I have to go talk to her. Where can I get her address? Who would have it?" He was talking almost too fast for Eric to understand it. Another factor making it difficult to understand him was the fact that he was talking partly in French."  
  
"Vaughn! Vaughn! Calm Down!"  
  
"Do you know where she is staying?" He said, after a few deep breaths. Eric handed him a piece of paper.  
  
"Here's the address. She gave it to me before she left."  
  
"Thanks, Man!" Vaughn hurried back to his car and raced to the airport. He booked the next flight to Washington.  
  
He tried to sleep on the plane, knowing that he wouldn't be able to sleep after seeing Sydney. He would be up all night worrying about her, about what would happen between them.  
  
The plane landed and it was almost midnight in Washington. Michael decided to just go to a hotel and talk to her the next morning.  
  
He set his clock for seven, hoping she would be home the next morning.  
  
The morning came and he hurried himself to the address Weiss had given him: 4703 Rainwood St.  
  
He knocked on the door and waited.  
  
Sydney opened the door to find a nervous Vaughn standing in front of her.  
  
"Morning."  
  
"What do you want?" She hadn't meant for it to sound so harsh, but she was still angry.  
  
"I came to talk to you."  
  
"You flew across the country to talk to me? You could have called, and how did you get my address?"  
  
"Yes, I did. I didn't have your number. Weiss."  
  
"You should probably come inside." Vaughn entered and looked around. The house permeated Sydney.  
  
"What is it you flew all the way across the country to tell me?"  
  
"I love you." He said it without hesitation. He didn't look her in the eye when he said it. He only looked up after, when there had been a brief silence. She was shocked; speechless- something only Michael had the ability to do.  
  
"What about Lauren?"  
  
"We are separating. She doesn't know that yet. We got into this big argument over you. The whole flight over here, I was thinking about a dream I had when I was in the hospital. I dreamt that I woke up and you were there, Lauren wasn't. You said that you missed me, and I said I missed you too. Then we kissed. Then you stabbed me and said I should have never betrayed you. Then I woke up, to find Lauren there. I spent the rest of the day wishing it were you. I still wish that. That dream made me think a lot about us. I know I deserved to be stabbed. I did betray you. I'm so sorry for that and I hope you can forgive me for that.  
  
"Why were you fighting over me?"  
  
"She made sure that you transferred. She had no right to do that. We should have been the one to move. You belong in Los Angeles. That's where your entire life is.  
  
"You miss me?" After all this time, she was still shocked at all that he had just said.  
  
"Of course I miss you. I want you to come home. We can get your transfer revoked. You can come back."  
  
"If I came back, we still couldn't be together- you're still married."  
  
"I'm getting a divorce."  
  
"Then call me when it's final." She turned and walked out of the room, leaving Vaughn there to contemplate his next decision.  
  
A few seconds passed before Vaughn followed Sydney. She had gone into what he thought was her room. The door was shut. He knocked gently.  
  
"Please, just go away," she said. She sounded like she was crying. He knocked again, and slowly opened the door. He walked over to her and sat down next to her. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him. She rested her head on his shoulder.  
  
He thought about saying something, but he didn't know what to say.  
  
"I'm sorry, Syd," he finally said.  
  
"Why are you sorry? You have two women who love you so much they fight over you. Most men would be almost giddy."  
  
"I'm not most men."  
  
"That's why I love you."  
  
"You are an amazing person, did you know that? You have every reason to hate me and you don't. You feel completely the opposite."  
  
"It's true."  
  
"Then why aren't we together?" She took his left hand and held it up.  
  
"This." She was talking about his ring. He took it off and set it down next to them.  
  
"What about now?"  
  
"Vaughn, taking it off doesn't change anything. You are still married. I want us to be together, but I couldn't do that to Lauren, and I wouldn't let you. You know you wouldn't want that either. We can't be together."  
  
"Will you at least come back to L. A.?"  
  
"I can't. I've been transferred here. They already need me for something. I can't leave." 


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
They stood in silence for a few minutes.  
  
Sydney looked out the window, it was starting to get dark outside and it had begun to rain.  
  
"I should get going. It's about a two hour drive to get back to the hotel, because of the rain."  
  
"You should stay here, Michael. When's your flight back to LA?" She had called him 'Michael,' something she only did when she wanted him to pay attention.  
  
"Tomorrow morning."  
  
"It's late. You should stay. I have a guest room."  
  
"Are you sure? I don't want to be in the way."  
  
"It won't be a problem." Michael followed Sydney down the hall to a room directly across from hers.  
  
"The bathroom is next to you."  
  
"Thanks." Sydney turned around, walked into her room, and shut the door.  
  
At about 1 in the morning, Michael heard screams coming from Sydney's room. He was still awake, sleeping in beds that weren't his was something he was unable to do. He heard a loud scream, louder than the others, and it brought him out of his half asleep state.  
  
He ran across the hall to Sydney's room. He opened the door only to find Sydney sitting up in her bed, breathing heavy, with tears running down her cheeks.  
  
Vaughn went to her side and sat next to her on the bed.  
  
"Sydney?" he asked. Sydney wrapped her arms around him. She held on to him tightly.   
  
"Vaughn." She had slowed her breathing.  
  
Vaughn wrapped his arms around her. After a moment, it became more of a hug than comfort.  
  
"Are you okay, Syd?" he asked.  
  
"Yea." She let out a deep breath. "It was just a nightmare, just a nightmare," she repeated. It was almost as if she was convincing herself that was what it was.  
  
"Do you want to tell me about it?" He didn't want to pry, but he wanted to know. He began to rub light circles on her back to help her calm down a bit.  
  
"Someone was torturing me, saying they were going to hurt you. Lauren was dead, they had killed her already. They said they were going to kill you. They wanted me to kill someone, I'm not sure who. I had never heard the name before. I killed them, because they had agreed that if I killed this man, they wouldn't kill you. Then I found out they killed you anyway. That's when I woke up."  
  
Sydney looked up at him; she had been looking at the blanket while telling him about her dream. There were several feelings dancing in his eyes. There was fear, concern, amazement, and was that love? It was a look that she hadn't seen from him in a long time.  
  
"Sydney," he said. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He brought her into a hug.  
  
When they pulled away, they looked in each other's eyes. Slowly, they got closer. Their lips met. It was soft, and full of passion and reassurance. Sydney pulled away almost immediately.  
  
"I'm sorry, Michael. I shouldn't have done that. You're married. I shouldn't have done that."  
  
"Sydney, don't blame you yourself. I wanted that kiss as much as you did."  
  
"I wanted that kiss, but I shouldn't have given in. That was wrong. I don't want to be the cause of any more problems in your marriage."  
  
"You being here is going to affect me and my marriage. You not being here would affect it too. I love you, and I always will, whether I'm married or not."  
  
There was another silence. It was comfortable, yet awkward. They wanted each other, and they knew it. They knew they couldn't.  
  
"I should probably go back to bed."  
  
"No." she said. She grabbed his hand as he got up. "Stay." He silently agreed and lay down with her.  
  
"Hold me." He gladly obliged. They fell asleep almost instantly. They slept better than they had in months. 


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
The next morning found Michael and Sydney in a deep sleep, still holding each other.  
  
Sydney woke up first, reveling in the scents around her. Michael in the morning. It had the perfect name for cologne.  
  
Michael soon woke after her and looked at the clock. He had overslept and missed his flight. He turned over to face Sydney.  
  
"Morning."  
  
"Hi," she said.  
  
"I missed my flight."  
  
"I'm sorry. I never meant to have a nightmare. It just came. I-" Michael stopped her. He hated that she blamed herself. It wasn't her fault at all.  
  
"Syd, its ok. It's not your fault. Don't worry. I'm not missing anything."  
  
"When can you get another flight?"  
  
"I'm not sure. I'll have to call Weiss."  
  
"I hope you can get one back."  
  
"You make it sound like you are trying to get rid of me." Sydney thought he was serious.  
  
"No!" She looked at him, and realized he was joking. She lightly hit him on the arm.  
  
"You could come back with me. I hate that you are all the way across the country, away from everyone you know."  
  
"I can't. I have a mission already."  
  
"Come back after it."  
  
"I can't. I told you. I was assigned here."  
  
"We can change that. Your dad could get it revoked. When does your plane leave?"  
  
"This afternoon."  
  
"For how long?"  
  
"Two days, I guess. Simple grab-and-run."  
  
"Be careful. I'm going to worry about you until you get back, which reminds me, I need to still call Weiss." Vaughn got up and went into the kitchen.  
  
"Weiss," he answered.  
  
"Eric. It's Mike."  
  
"Where are you? You are supposed to be on a plane."  
  
"I'm at Syd's.  
  
"Alright Mike!"  
  
"Weiss."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing happened. I just overslept."  
  
"Mm-hmm. Because you were up late, right?"  
  
"Because Sydney woke up because of a nightmare. She was crying."  
  
"Well, is she okay?"  
  
"Yes. She's fine now."  
  
"Okay. I can get you a flight at two. Will you make this one?"  
  
"Weiss."  
  
"Fine. See you tonight."  
  
"Bye." Vaughn hung up and went to find Sydney. She was lying in bed, asleep. Michael looked at the clock. It was only 11:30. He decided to make lunch, since they had missed breakfast.  
  
At about noon, Michael heard some shuffling from Sydney's room. He had almost finished fixing lunch and was about to wake her up. He decided against going to see what she was doing, assuming that she would come to the kitchen when she was ready.  
  
She came in, with her hair up, make-up done, and dressed for the day.  
  
"Hey." He said.  
  
"Hey. What's this?"  
  
"Lunch, since we slept through breakfast. It's my specialty: Lasagna."  
  
"Mm." They ate lunch and talked. They had a lot of catching up to do, even though they had talked yesterday before she left.  
  
"After you get back, you should come back to Los Angeles. We should be the ones here, not you."  
  
"I don't want your pity, Michael."  
  
"That's not what this is. I want you to be happy. You belong in Los Angeles, your Dad and your friends are there. It's your life."  
  
"If I go back, it will just be proving Lauren's point, that I use my father's power to get whatever I want."  
  
"So then prove it, but you'll be happy. That's all that matters. Losing you the first time made me realize that."  
  
"I am happy."  
  
"How can you say that? I know you, Sydney. I know when you are lying. You aren't happy, you know it and I know it."  
  
"Even if I'm not happy, it wouldn't change anything. You are still married. My friends are gone. My house is gone. I'm still missing two years of my life, and I'm still wondering why Sloane has a pardon with the government."  
  
"You can change it. You can come back."  
  
"I have to go pack. I'll call you when I get home. You should go though, so you don't miss your flight."  
  
"Yea. I'll talk to you when you get back. This conversation is far from over."  
  
~~~  
  
When Michael got back to Los Angeles, he went to his attorney's office to get the divorce papers. He said they would be ready in an hour. Next he went to Eric's.  
  
"Have fun in Washington?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Where have you been?"  
  
"Attorney's office. I have to get the papers in half an hour."  
  
"You finally going to go through with this, huh? You want a beer?" Eric said as he walked to the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
"Lauren is going to be pissed."  
  
"Can I stay here tonight? I'm going to look for an apartment tomorrow."  
  
"Syd's is still available, but yeah. We are going to get you drunk tonight."  
  
"No."  
  
"Awe. C'mon man! You are going to need clothes for tomorrow though, even if you won't get drunk."  
  
"I'm going by the house after I pick up the papers."  
  
~~~  
  
Michael left Weiss's and went back to his lawyer's office.  
  
"Evening Michael."  
  
"Evening. Do you have the papers ready?"  
  
"I'm afraid I have some bad news. Because of a law that prohibits divorce without separation, I can't give you the papers."  
  
"For how long?"  
  
"Six months."  
  
"Then I shall see you in six months," he said as calmly as possible. After taking a moment to cool down outside, he went to Lauren's to get some clothes.  
  
"Have a nice trip, Michael?"  
  
"That doesn't concern you. I came here to get clothes. Consider this a formal separation. Divorce papers will arrive in six months.  
  
"Six months? Last time I checked, if someone in the marriage had an affair, there was no need for separation. The divorce could be immediate."  
  
"You make be correct, but I didn't have an affair. If you don't believe me, call Sydney."  
  
"I don't believe you, especially after seeing these." Lauren handed him a folder. He opened it to find a picture of him and Sydney's kiss.  
  
"You are basing your opinions on a kiss? I can tell you, that was all that happened. Unless you call a kiss an affair, I didn't have one. I have been faithful to you. And if you were to call a kiss an affair, you've had a few then too." Lauren was quiet. She knew what he was talking about. Michael took this opportunity to walk to the bedroom and gather some clothes.  
  
"I'll see you at work." With that, he left, not waiting for an answer. 


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
Three months of Michael and Lauren's separation had passed. Michael and Sydney hadn't spoken. Sydney decided to stay in Washington. She made quite a few friends. She had become friends with a girl that would be perfect for Eric. She still missed L.A, so having a friend like Angela was a way to get rid of some of her homesickness.  
  
After Michael left, and Sydney caught her flight, she thought about her relationship with Michael. It was always obvious that they cared for one another. She thought about giving up on them. After all, Michael had done it almost three years ago.  
  
Michael, on the other hand, did not think that. He saw his separation with Lauren and getting back with Sydney as a second chance. He saw it as a way to fix a big mistake in his life. He should have let go of Lauren the second he found out she came back. He never told her how much he really cared for her.  
  
On a grim, cloudy afternoon, one that mirrored how he felt, Michael met with Eric at the rink for practice. He seemed to be going to the rink a lot more often than in the past.  
  
"What is with you, man? You're distracted and tense. With every afternoon here, you would think that wouldn't be the case."  
  
"I've been separated from Lauren for three months. My reason is across the country because she refuses to come home, and I haven't talked to her since I left Washington."  
  
"Why not go back to Washington to talk to her?"  
  
"I did that, remember? It didn't work. She doesn't want anything to do with me, especially while I'm still married."  
  
"That's not true. She wants to be with you probably as much as you want to be with her, but the fact remains that you are still married, and she wouldn't let you cheat on your wife. Why not get her to go away somewhere neither of you have ever been."  
  
"That might work. I just have to figure out where it is that neither of us has ever been, which could be difficult, because we travel non-stop."  
  
"What about Maine?"  
  
"Maine?"  
  
"Yea. I know someone with a cabin there. I could see if you could rent it for a couple days."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sydney walked into the main building of the CIA. She sat down, and let out a huge sigh. She disliked sitting in the cubicle, with its box shape and pale dividers. She felt trapped.  
  
"Morning!" Angela said, as she popped her head above the divider.  
  
"Morning." Sydney said, without much emotion.  
  
"What's got you down on this beautiful morning?" Angela was a person who loved the sun shining and the birds singing. She was always happy, and she really appreciated life. She was almost always telling jokes. She was about Sydney's height. She has long, curly auburn hair and green eyes.  
  
"So what's wrong?" She asked, as she came to the opening of Sydney's cube.  
  
"I was just thinking."  
  
"Care to elaborate? You know I'm going to pester you until you tell me." Sydney sighed in response.  
  
"Vaughn," she said.  
  
"Oh. Today's three months, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And you still haven't talked to him?"  
  
"No. I don't plan on it either."  
  
"Why, exactly?" Angela was born and raised in Georgia. Her southern accent was revealed, occasionally, along with the sarcasm apparent in the South.  
  
"He got married in less than two years after I went missing."  
  
"Yeah, because he thought that you were dead. If you really were dead, you would want him to move on, wouldn't you?"  
  
"Yes," she said, with hesitation, "but I wasn't."  
  
"He didn't know that."  
  
"My father did. Why wouldn't he? You would think that he would know."  
  
"But he didn't, and if you are looking for someone to blame, blame your father for not telling him, or The Covenant for your abduction. Don't blame Michael for moving on."  
  
"Why are you defending him anyway?"  
  
"Because the way you describe him, I can tell he really loves you, and you can't deny that you love him too. He's getting a divorce for you. Might I remind you that he flew here to tell you he loves you! He broke you out of federal custody! He-"  
  
"Because of his wife."  
  
"Ex-wife."  
  
"Not quite. His wife reported me."  
  
"Anyway. He worried about you when you were on missions! He stayed with you as your handler when ya'll found out his father was killed by your mother, even though it might have been incredibly hard to work with you. If you don't call all of those things love, then I don't want to know what love is to you."  
  
"Most of that is before my two missing two years."  
  
"And yet, he still loves you, after what is it? 5 years? He may love his wife, too, but it is no where near what he feels for you!" There was a silence. The shrill sound of Sydney's cell phone ringing startled them.  
  
"Hello?" she said.  
  
"Syd? Where are you?"  
  
"I'm at work." 'Vaughn' she mouthed at Angela's puzzled look. 'Oh' she mouthed back with a nod of her head in understanding.  
  
"Could you come home? I'm at the airport here in Washington. I came because I need to talk to you."  
  
"I can't leave," she lied. Angela was still standing there, now in shock. Angela took her phone from Sydney.  
  
"Michael? Hi, this is Angela. Sydney will be home in about 15 minutes." With that, she hung up and handed the phone back to Sydney.  
  
"I can't believe you did that."  
  
"Yes, you can. Now, go home. I'll cover for you," Angela said as she shoved Sydney towards the door, "Oh, and I want to hear about everything that happened." 


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
When Sydney got home, Michael was waiting for her on her porch.  
  
"Hi," he said.  
  
"Hi." Sydney unlocked the door and they walked inside.  
  
"What did you want to talk to me about that you couldn't say over the phone."  
  
"I can't say anything over the phone, it's been tapped."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Lauren."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I came to tell you that I'm getting a divorce in 3 months. I've been separated from Lauren for the past three."  
  
"I know."  
  
"How? I didn't tell anyone, except for Eric."  
  
"My dad told me."  
  
"Oh." There were a number of ways he could have learned that, Vaughn thought.  
  
"There is another reason I'm here. If Lauren decides to go to court, I need a witness. I am asking if you would go."  
  
"Why not Eric? He's your friend."  
  
"Because you and I have a history. You would be a better witness. Plus, Lauren accused me of having an affair with you. She has a picture of our kiss, somehow."  
  
"What? How?"  
  
"I'm not sure. She doesn't know where you live, as far as I know. She must have had someone follow me here."  
  
"Oh my God," she said as she sat down on the couch, "How did this happen?"  
  
"I don't know. I think that if you were to go with me and say that we didn't, it would be easier."  
  
"Depends on the judge."  
  
"Well that, too,"  
  
"Would you like to go to lunch? I saw a place that looked good on my way here."  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
At lunch, Sydney could tell that Vaughn was keeping something from her. His thoughts were somewhere else.  
  
"Vaughn, what's with you?"  
  
"I was thinking about something."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Vaughn."  
  
"It was nothing." Sydney decided to drop the subject. Obviously, Vaughn wasn't going to tell her.  
  
"Angela seems...interesting." He said after a minute of silence.  
  
"Yeah, she is really nice. She would be perfect for Eric."  
  
"She must have a lot of patience, to be perfect for Eric."  
  
"She does. She's a lot like Francie in that way."  
  
"That's good. I'll have to meet her some day."  
  
"Yea. You should." Their conversation had become forced. They were avoiding what they knew they had to talk about.  
  
"Vaughn, we need to talk."  
  
"About what's going to happen to us. Yea, I know. I want us to be together again. I don't care where. I remember you saying you wanted something real in your life. What we had, what I want us to have again, that's real."  
  
"What about everything that has happened to us. It's been four years since I said that."  
  
"Nothing's changed. I still love you." There was a silence. He was contemplating something.  
  
"When I was in the hospital, when you stabbed me, I had a dream. I dreamt that I had woken up, and you were there. You told me you missed me. I said I miss you, too. I wasn't lying. The choice is yours. You know how I feel. When I said that 'even though some things change, some things don't, I meant that. The way I feel about you will never change." Sydney had a tear running down her cheek when he was finished.  
  
"Vaughn." She paused. She was so confused. Part of her, the logical part, was telling her to run, but her heart was telling her something different. Her heart was telling her to tell him everything, for her to tell to tell him how she felt, to tell him how much she wanted him, too.  
  
"Vaughn, we can't do this. Not after all that has happened. There is a reason that you got married. There was a reason I was taken, fate."  
  
"Since when do you believe in fate?"  
  
"I've always believed in fate. I believe it was fate that my mother killed your father. I believe it was fate that you joined the CIA. It was fate that Danny was killed. It was fate that you became my handler. It was fate that we fell in love, even with our history. A history that started long before we knew about each other. Our fate is that we can't be together." She was almost sobbing now.  
  
"Syd." He paused. What could he say? "I'm going to say something, whatever you answer, I will accept it. Do you love me?" Sydney was shocked that he was ask her that. She didn't know what to say. She did love him, but he had given up on her, on them. He had moved on. She knew it was childish to hold that against him, especially now. He was getting a divorce. He loved her.  
  
"Yes." She answered.  
  
"So why aren't we together?"  
  
"I don't know. You're still married. Us together is adultery. That's a huge reason." Vaughn could see the pain in her eyes. He could hear the sarcasm in her voice. "We should probably go."  
  
When Vaughn brought Sydney home, she got out and headed toward the house. He followed. He still needed to talk to her.  
  
"Syd. You should know, when I said I'm not going to lose you twice, I meant it." 


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
Without a word, Vaughn started walking towards his car. He opened the door of the car before he heard Sydney say something.  
  
"Vaughn. We need to talk about this. Everytime we try to talk about it, we don't actually talk about it. We know how we feel about each other, that's obvious. We to figure out what we are going to do, I mean after this is finalized."  
  
"We should. It's just when."  
  
"How about tonight. Here. I'll fix dinner. Be here at 7."  
  
"Okay." Sydney waited for Vaughn to leave before she went in the house. She changed clothes and went for a run, then she came back and showered, and got herself ready for the evening.  
  
At about 5, she decided she should start making dinner. She decided to make spaghetti, it would take about two hours to cook. After adding all of the spices and tomatoes, she let it cook, occasionally stirring it, and adding a small amount of sugar every once in a while.  
  
Vaughn arrived at precisely 7. He never liked to be late, for anything, even if where he was going was to talk to his once thought dead girlfriend who he would probably get into an argument with.  
  
He knocked on the door, which was quickly opened.  
  
"Hi. Come on in," Sydney said.  
  
"Thanks. I brought some wine."  
  
"Thanks." Sydney walked into the kitchen to check on dinner. The bread in the oven was almost ready, and the noodles were done. She drained them and set them back in the pot. The sauce was done, it smelled delicious.  
  
"Dinner's read-" She stopped at the memory of the last time she said that, "-dy" she finished.  
  
"It smells great. When did you learn to cook spaghetti like this?"  
  
"Angela. She told me it was a mixture of two recipes, her father's, and her favorite restaurant's."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Serve yourself a plate. I'm going to finish setting the table." She knew it was unlike her to not have the table set already, but she knew she would need a reason to leave the room. She was, though, almost done. All she had to do was set out a set of silverware for herself. When she was finished, she went back into the kitchen and saw Vaughn fixing a glass of wine, and another glass out on the counter. She decided to serve her plate.  
  
"Would you like some wine?"  
  
"Trying to get me drunk?" By the look on his face, it was obvious that he didn't know she was joking, "I'm kidding. I would love some." He exhaled in relief. He poured the glass and brought it out to the table.  
  
At dinner, they began in silence. Sydney broke it. She was wondering about the strange look on his face. He had had it there since they sat down.  
  
"Vaughn, what's with you?"  
  
"Oh, nothing. I was thinking again."  
  
"And what was it you were thinking about?" "That time at the Ops Center, when I was being investigated. I said that if I never saw you again, it was fun. You told me to shut up."  
  
"What made you think of that."  
  
"I don't know. It was as if I was foreshadowing my own future."  
  
"Vaughn, you had no way of knowing."  
  
"I know that. I just wish I wouldn't have said it."  
  
"You weren't talking about me. You were joking. You shouldn't feel guilty about that." There was a silence again, except for the noise that the forks made against the plates.  
  
"Syd, I don't want you to hurt anymore," he said, breaking the silence.  
  
"What makes you think that I hurt?"  
  
"I can see it in your eyes."  
  
"Eyes can deceive."  
  
"Not when it is about you and me."  
  
"Vaughn. What do you want me to say? That I do hurt constantly?! That I can't have a moment a day without you on my mind. That I don't want to have you off my mind?! It may be true that I hurt, but I know we can't be together."  
  
"You are just going to give up on us like that?"  
  
"Why shouldn't I? You did!" That was low, she even knew it. She didn't apologize. She just looked at him. Tears were forming in her eyes, and running down her cheek.  
  
"Why do you think I want us to be together again. I didn't stop loving you. I just stopped looking for you. I knew it would kill me if I did."  
  
"Then why do you want me? What if something happens again?"  
  
"Because I love you, without a doubt in my mind. If something does happen, then, now I know not to move on, at least until there is a body, because you may just come back and I don't want my butt kicked again. That hurt." He finished with a smile. Syd let out a small giggle. It was the first time he saw a true smile on her face since she came back.  
  
"Sorry about that."  
  
"I deserved it." He paused. "I guess this is what you were talking about earlier. We never actually talk about it."  
  
"Yeah. This is what I meant." She laughed.  
  
"So what are you going to decide?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The next morning, Sydney walked into the building only to be met by Angela.  
  
"You have a meeting in 10 minutes, but first, you are going to tell me what happened to you yesterday, and why are you smiling? I must know these things." Angela waited for Syd to answer, but she didn't. "Sydney! You have to tell me! I covered for you yesterday. Stupid Borel came looking for you. I don't do well under pressure from certain people. You have to tell me. If you don't, I'm going to keep giving you guilt, something I am very good at. Tell me!" She shouted.  
  
"Shh! Do you have to let everyone know?"  
  
"Until you tell me, yes."  
  
"We had dinner, and talked."  
  
"That's it?! I cover for you and that's it? No kiss?"  
  
"No. He is married."  
  
"Well then how did dinner go?"  
  
"Good. We decided that we should wait to be together because he may have to go to court."  
  
"You should be together now." Sydney gave her a look. "I'm serious! You should call him and tell him you changed your mind and you want to be together now!"  
  
"It's not going to be like before, where I don't talk to him at all. We are going to talk, it's just we can't be together."  
  
"It's going to kill you." 


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
Angela had been right. She was always right. It had only been a week, and Sydney was going stir crazy from not seeing Vaughn. She hadn't been able to talk to him very much either. The mission she had right after talking to Angela was for three days. It was another grab-and-run mission, but it required her to stay one night in Tuscany.  
  
She had thought about going to see him in LA, but decided against it. She didn't want to raise suspicion, nor did she want Vaughn to have to put up with any more than what was already floating around the office. She knew people were big fans of knowing what was going on with the two of them. If there were a list of the most talked about couple in the agency, we would be at the top, she mused.  
  
"Lover boy sent ya something," Angela said, bringing Sydney from her reverie.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said your boyfriend sent you something."  
  
"Care to share what it is?"  
  
"No, not really. But here it is anyway." She handed Sydney a bouquet of red roses, in a large vase, over the divider of the cubicle.  
  
"There is a card attached. I decided to give it to you before my curiosity got the better of me."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"So what does it say?" Sydney opened the small envelope to find, in Vaughn's handwriting, a small note.  
  
Come home to me. I miss you.  
  
-V  
  
Sydney was confused. What home? Home in LA? Or the current home she had in Washington. Sydney's cell rang, which startled her.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"I'm assuming you got my flowers?"  
  
"Yes, I did, thank you."  
  
"And yet you are still at that office."  
  
"How did you know that?"  
  
"I want to know why you haven't left the building yet."  
  
"Why? What is the importance of me leaving right now?"  
  
"Because its cold outside."  
  
"I know. Why would I want to go out in the cold?"  
  
"Just go." Sydney sighed in defeat. She got up and walked outside, only to find a cab waiting for her. She knew it was for her because it had a sign on it that said:  
  
Sydney get in  
  
She got in, and the cab driver started driving.  
  
"I was told to tell you to put this on." The driver said, handing her a bandana. "By some guy named Ludlow." Sydney laughed at the use of the alias. That had been one of her favorite costumes on him. She put in on and sighed. She hated surprises.  
  
The driver drove, taking a turn every now and then. It stopped suddenly, forcing Sydney to hit her head on the divider railing. Luckily, the bandana served as padding, and it didn't hurt.  
  
"We are here." Sydney untied the blindfold, and got out. She was in front of the entrance to Memorial Park. She had run through there a few times. There were long trails.  
  
"The Ludlow guy told me to tell you to follow the flowers." The cab driver said. She nodded, thanked the driver and got out. She found a sunflower sitting in the middle of a path. She walked to it and picked it up, continuing down the path. There was a trail of sunflowers, with the flower pointing in the direction for her to follow along the path. She followed it only to be led to Vaughn, whom she found sitting in a lawn chair.  
  
"I told you it was cold."  
  
"Why are you here?" she asked  
  
"Well 'hi' to you, too."  
  
"Sorry." Sydney walked up and kissed him, with such passion, even she didn't know she had.  
  
"Hi," she said.  
  
"Hi. Come on. Let's go home, I'm cold." They started walking toward the street, and getting another cab.  
  
"Why weren't you inside my house, where it is warm?" Sydney asked, once they were in the car.  
  
"I thought it would be too suggestive to be there. We agreed to wait. I just couldn't stand to be away from you." Syd kissed him again, short and sweet.  
  
"Thank you for the flowers."  
  
"Your welcome." The rest of the ride was spent in silence. They got to Sydney's apartment, and Vaughn paid the cab driver. They walked inside. Sydney saw her answering machine light blinking, as if to say "you have a message". Sydney pressed the button only to hear a beep followed by Angela's voice.  
  
"Sydney! Where did you go? Hello? You can't just leave like that! What am I supposed to tell Borel when he comes looking for you. 'Oh, I'm sorry sir. I think she went to find Lover Boy and go make out with him after he gave her some flowers and a mysterious note, which I am still trying to figure out since you aren't home! Sydney Bristow! If you are there, pick up this phone now!" Sydney blushed at Angela's message. She hadn't told Vaughn about his nickname that Angela had given him.  
  
"So I'm Lover Boy now?"  
  
"Angela came up with that. I should probably call her back."  
  
"That might be a good idea." Sydney picked up the phone and dialed the number she knew so well.  
  
"Hello?" Angela said.  
  
"Angela, hey."  
  
"Sydney! Where are you?"  
  
"I'm at home."  
  
"You can't just leave like that."  
  
"I know that. You would have told me to leave anyway."  
  
"Yeah. I would. I'm guessing Lover Boy is there?"  
  
"Yes, he's here. I'm not sure he likes the name too much though."  
  
"That's ok. He'll just have to deal with it."  
  
"I'm sure he will. I'm going to go now."  
  
"Okay. Have fun, but not too much."  
  
"Bye Angela."  
  
"Bye." Sydney hung up the phone and turned around to face Vaughn, who wasn't there. 


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Bye Angela."

"Bye." Sydney hung up the phone and turned around to face Vaughn, who wasn't there.

Sydney, now nervous because she didn't know where Vaughn was, looked around the house. She headed toward her room. Upon reaching the main hallway, she saw rose petals. She reached her room, and looked around. She was breathless. There were roses and sunflowers in vases all around the room, which was bathed in candlelight. She then found Vaughn sitting at the foot of her bed.

"When did you have time to do this?"

"Today."

"I thought you said that it would be to suggestive to come be in my house."

"I did. I never said that I was never in your house. I was just here long enough for the flowers to be delivered."

"How did you know that I wouldn't come home while you were here?"

"Angela."

"What?"

"I called her and told her about my plan. She told me she would keep you distracted until I was ready."

"I'm going to have to kill her."

"No you won't. You love surprises like this."

"Yes, I do. Thank you, for everything." She walked up to him, and he stood up and she kissed him, full of passion. They soon got carried away and landed on her bed. Before getting too carried away, and before any clothes were shed, Vaughn broke the kiss. Sydney had a hurt expression on her face.

"Sorry. I know we agreed to wait. Sorry." With that, he left the room. Sydney got up, and followed him, only to find him in the living room, on the couch, with his head in his hands. She hated seeing him like this. She sat down next to him.

"Vaughn, I wanted that just as much as you did, if not more."

"But I should have stopped. I shouldn't have done that, with the flowers."

"Are you kidding? I loved that! It's not totally your fault. It's mine, too. I kissed you first."

"It's still my fault." 

"Why? Because you let your judgement be impaired for a moment of happiness? Or is it because you lost control or yourself? Or is it that the only thing we agreed not to do was about to happen?"

"It is all of those things. I shouldn't let my judgement be impaired. I shouldn't have broken the only rule that we had for the next three months, no matter how much I wanted too."

"You don't think I want that, too? I want the next two months and three weeks to fly by, but they won't. You know it, and I know it. Don't blame yourself. If anyone should be to blame it is me because I kissed you first, I brought it on."

"I can't blame you."

"That's the problem. You have me on a pedestal. I'm not perfect. I'm going to make mistakes. I'm going to be the one to blame sometimes."

"You are perfect though. Even with the so called flaws that you think you have, you are perfect."

"Vaughn. I'm not. The image you have of me that is what is perfect. I am not. I kill people on a regular basis-"

"For self-defense."

"I want things that I shouldn't want."

"Like what?"

"You, for example."

"You can just turn off your feelings."

"I should be able to. We've been taught to compartmentalize things. This is one of those things that should be."

"Not being able to compartmentalize doesn't make you any less perfect. I know that people make mistakes. It's not the image or the memory that I have of you that I think is perfect, it's you, the woman whom I worked with on a daily basis for two years, up until recently. The woman who is strong even when she feels like her life is falling apart. You make people feel joy, even if you don't. That is the woman I love. You are perfect, even if you don't believe me." Sydney was once again speechless. She wanted to kiss him, but refrained, knowing what happened the last time she did that. Instead, she settled for a hug, and a kiss on the cheek, or multiple, in this case.

"Syd, you have to stop that, or we may have a problem."

"Right." Sydney looked around. She decided that she wanted to still be close to him, so she wanted to watch a movie, preferably a long one.

"Do you want to watch a movie? I just got Pearl Harbor."

"Yeah, that sounds like fun." A few hours later found Vaughn and Sydney snuggled up together, Sydney lying in front of Vaughn horizontally across the couch. Vaughn's arm was wrapped protectively across Sydney's waist. Sydney was half asleep, while Vaughn was entertained. He was watching the final scene. It was the part where Ben Affleck's character was with Kate Beckensale's and they were on the farm with the little boy, "Danny". He noticed the similarities between the three characters- in a strange twist of fate, the girl ended up with the first guy she was in love with, much like he and Sydney.

As the credits rolled, Vaughn turned off the TV and followed Sydney off to dreamland. It was another great night of sleep.

The morning came, as it always does, shining brightly through the window, waking Sydney. She wondered who that was with their arm wrapped around her, but the memories of yesterday came flooding back. It was Vaughn, who, by the sound of his breathing, was still asleep. She hadn't remembered sleeping that well in a while, other than when she and Vaughn slept together the last time he was there.

Sydney was pulled from her thoughts by the shifting of Vaughn. He was waking up. She turned over to face him. She wanted to see his eyes first thing in the morning; they were the deepest green then. Perhaps that was why she loved the morning so much.

"Morning," she said as he opened his eyes.

"Morning," he replied, after he took a deep breath, "I can't wait for this to be over and this will happen every morning."

"Me too. Less than three months."

"Counting down? I didn't think the great Sydney Bristow would count down something."

"Sure do!" Sydney laughed at what she just said. Spending so much time with Angela made her develop her Southern dialect.

"You know, Christmas is coming soon."

"And this will be another year that we can't spend it together."

"No."

"We should go get breakfast, because I have to leave in two hours," Vaughn said, changing the subject.

"Sure." They had pancakes, eggs and bacon. After breakfast, Vaughn left to catch his plane.

It was a week later, two days before Christmas, when Sydney decided to go to Los Angeles. Otherwise, she would spend it alone. Angela was going to Georgia to see her family.

When Sydney got to Los Angeles, she drove around town to finish her Christmas shopping. She had planned to send everyone their gifts that day, once she was finished. After she was finished, she was off to deliver, hoping everyone would enjoy their gifts.


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

After Sydney finished her shopping, she decided to call her father to let him know she was in town. She needed a place to stay, too. She knew that Vaughn was living in her old house, so she couldn't stay there, with him, unless he asked her too. Plus, she wanted her arrival to be a surprise,

**Flashback**

"Bristow."

"Hi dad."

"Sydney."

"Are you going to be in town for Christmas? I'm in LA, and I need a place to stay."

"I'm sorry, honey, I won't be there. I'm leaving tonight. I won't be back for a couple days."

"Oh, okay," she said in disappointment.

"You can stay there while I'm gone." 

"Thanks dad."

"Goodbye honey."

"Bye." 

**End Flashback **

She decided that she would go to Weiss's next.

**Flashback**

"Sydney! What are you doing here?"

"Hey. I came to see you. I'm here for Christmas."

"Oh, great! Lover boy should be happy. He'll be here in a minute."

"What?! He can't know I'm here. Not yet," she said, heading towards the car, "I'll be back later. Don't tell him I'm here."

"Okay."

**End Flashback**

She decided to go to Carrie and Marshall's. She hadn't seen the new baby yet. Carrie had a girl; she named her Anna. Sydney had been told that Anna looked a lot like Carrie, but had Marshall's brown eyes.

When she got there, she saw a man, whom she assumed was Marshall's father leaving the house. 

**Flashback**

"Bye, Mr. Flinkman!" Carrie called.

"Bye, Carrie." Carrie didn't take notice of Sydney for a minute.

"Sydney! What are you doing here! I thought you weren't coming in for Christmas."

"I wasn't, but then Angela told me she was going to Georgia, so I would have been all alone, so here I am."

"Marshall! Sydney is here!" Carrie called inside the house.

"Come in! Come in!" Sydney followed her orders, only to be met by Marshall, with a huge smile on his face.

"Hey, Sydney."

"Hi." She almost forgot about the presents she was holding, until she almost dropped one.

"Oh! I brought you these."

"Thank you! You know you didn't have to do that," Carrie said. Carrie opened her gift first. It was bath salts, and bubble bath, and shower gel among other stuff.

"This is wonderful, Sydney, thank you!" Next Marshall opened his gift. It was a gift certificate to Radio Shack. 

"Thanks Syd!"

"Your welcome." She laughed. She had hoped that he would like it.

"We sent your gift to Washington yesterday."

"That's okay. I'll get it when I get back. Where is Anna? I haven't seen her yet." As if she her heard her name, Anna started crying.

"There she is, waking up from her nap. I'll go get her." Carrie said. She got up from her spot on the couch and went toward the back of the house. A minute later, she returned with Anna in her arms. Carrie had been right- she looked nothing like Marshall.

"You want to hold her?" 

"Sure," Sydney said. Carrie gently placed her in Sydney's arms. Anna looked at Sydney, but because she didn't recognize her, she started crying. Carrie picked her up.

"Sorry, she's not very good with people she's never seen."

"That's ok. I'm sure you have to feed her, so I'll get going."

"Are you sure, Sydney?"

"Yea. I have to go by my dad's and to Eric's."

"Okay." Carrie said, as Sydney headed toward the door.

"She's beautiful, you guys."

"Thanks. Bye, Sydney. Merry Christmas!"

"Thanks. You too!" Sydney left the house, and got in her car, and left.  
**  
End Flashback**

It was about nine o'clock when Sydney reached Weiss's, and she hoped that Vaughn would be at home, instead of Eric's. Luckily, that was how it was. As she passed her old house, she saw Vaughn in the living room watching something on TV. 

**Flashback **

"Hey Syd."

"Hey. You didn't tell him, did you?"

"No. Although, I don't see why I couldn't."

"I want it to be a surprise." 

"Whatever."

"Here. I got you this." Eric took the gift from her outstretched hand. He tore open the paper like it was a five-year-old on Christmas day. It was a two foot squared display case, for his yo-yos.

"Thanks Syd! I've been meaning to get one of these! I just got a new yo-yo yesterday!" 

"Your welcome. I'm just glad you don't have one already."

"So when are you going to see Lover Boy? He really misses you, by the way."

"After I leave here." 

"Well get going. He told me he was planning to go get drunk." He said, as he pushed her toward the door.

"Fine. Wiess, stop pushing me. I can walk on my own." He did stop, only when she reached the door.

"Tell him I said hi."

"You just saw him!"

"So?"

"Fine."

**End Flashback**

She walked over to her old house, now Vaughn's, and knocked on the door. Within a few minutes, the door was opened and she was face to face with the green eyes she loved so much.

**Flashback **

"Hi," Sydney said.


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Flashback

_"Hi," Sydney said. Vaughn's look was of shock. Without saying a word, Vaughn pulled her to him, and kissed her. It was a kiss full of passion, and desire. Without his lips leaving hers, he pulled her into the house and closed the door. Sydney pulled away, very reluctantly, after a minute; she needed air._

"Hi," she said again.

"Hi. What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming home."

"Surprise! I am."

"I love this surprise," he said and began to kiss her again. He went down her neck, and back up again, "I missed you."

"I missed you too." After a minute, she continued, "Vaughn, as much as I love this, you have a gift to open." He stopped, and looked up at her, surprised, but smiling.

"What?"

"I bought you a gift."

"You shouldn't have done that! I'm just glad you are here."

"Well then I'll just have to keep it."

"No, don't do that. You…I…" He let out a defeated sigh. Sydney could see that he wanted the gift.

"Here you go." Sydney said, handing him the gift. He tore open the paper, and smiled at the object in the box. It was a hockey puck in a display case. The puck was signed by all of the players on the 2003 Kings team.

"It's to remember our hockey game, and the zamboni."

"Thank you! I love it!" He said and kissed her.

"You're welcome."

"We are going to a hockey game after this is over."

"Good. I missed watching the zamboni."

"How long are you going to be here?" He said, after a moment.

"Three days, I think. I'm staying at my father's."

"Why not here?"

"We agreed not to be together. Staying here would make it that much harder." He nodded, so she continued, "Don't think that I don't want to be here. I do. I just know my resistance won't last too long." He nodded again, understandingly. "I'm sorry."

"Sydney," he said, pulling her into his lap, "You have no reason to be sorry. I just wish you could stay here, but I understand why you can't." Sydney kissed him lightly, as if to say 'Thank you.'

"I….uh…got you something too." He got up from the couch, where both were sitting, and went into the kitchen to get an envelope out of his briefcase. He handed her the envelope. She gave him a questioning look, but opened it. Inside was a plane ticket, in her name, to Los Angeles, and a note:

This time we are going.

A huge smile appeared on her face.

"We're really going?" She exclaimed.

"We're really going." Sydney jumped into his arms, happily.

"I love it! I love it! I love it!" she exclaimed, punctuating each sentence with a kiss.

"Well, you're welcome." This was another moment to add to their scrapbook of memories.

"When are we going?"

"Two months, and two weeks." Two months and two weeks. That was an important date, but what was it? Suddenly, it clicked.

"That's the day your divorce is final!" He just nodded, with an ear-to-ear smile.

"I should go. It's getting late." He just nodded, his smile fading. She turned and headed for the door. With her hand on the knob, she turned back to face him and smiled a sad smile. After a minute, she opened the door and left.

Sydney drove to her father's house, unlocked the door, and slowly drudged up the stairs to her old room and went to sleep.

Early the next morning, Vaughn drove to Jack's house. He walked up the front walk of his Victorian house, and knocked on the door. It was only a moment before the housekeeper, who was obviously still half-asleep, opened the door.

"She's still asleep," the housekeeper said, in a yawned, Mexican accent.

"Great. Where is the kitchen?"

"Through the foyer, take a left, down the hall, first room on the right."

"Thanks."

About twenty minutes later, Vaughn headed toward Sydney's room, after once again, getting directions. He saw Sydney sleeping peacefully in the center of her bed.

As if she felt his presence, Sydney woke up, to find Vaughn holding a tray of an assortment of breakfast foods.

"Morning," Vaughn said.

"Am I dreaming?" Sydney asked, "How did you get here?"

"I asked for directions." He smiled that smile that she couldn't resist, and she melted. "I made you breakfast."

"Really? Thank you!" Vaughn nodded and set the tray down next to her on the bed. There were eggs, bacon, and pancakes, with glasses of milk and orange juice. There was also butter and syrup.

"It looks great." She took a bite of the eggs first, "Tastes great, too."


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

_"So, what are we doing today?" Sydney asked._

"That's up to you."

"I get to choose? This is going to be so much fun."

After breakfast, Sydney showered, and dressed for the day.

"Ready to go?" Vaughn asked, as Syd entered the room.

"Yeah. Let me just get my purse."

It was a while later, in Vaughn's car before anyone said anything again.

"So, what is there to do here on Christmas Eve?"

"A lot of things. We can go to the Santa Monica pier for the carnival, or we can go watch the Christmas Boat Parade. Tonight, we can drive down Mulholland Boulevard. We can go ice-skating, too."

"What do you think about going to the carnival today and driving down Mulholland Boulevard tonight? I've missed looking at the lights."

"I have, too."

When they got to the pier, Sydney and Michael walked hand in hand to the ticket booth.

"What do you want to do first?"

"Bumper cars!" Sydney responded, much like a wide-eyed five-year-old. Vaughn didn't get a chance to respond, because she ran to get tickets. Although he loved bumper cars, he had seen the way Sydney had driven when she wanted something, and was almost scared for the other participants. Either way, he went through with it. They had fun. Vaughn could never catch Sydney, but Sydney always hit Vaughn as she passed him multiple times.

It was Vaughn's turn to pick out something to do. He chose the biggest roller coaster there. He knew that Sydney both loved them but feared them. The small evil bone in him was starting to show.

"Okay. My turn to pick. I think we should go on that roller coaster," he said, pointing the direction of it, a smile on his face.

"Vaughn. No. I'm not going."

"It is my turn, you chose the bumper cars. My ego is hurt, and its payback time."

"That's not fair."

"What? Is the great Sydney Bristow afraid of a little roller coaster?" he said, jokingly, but still taunting her.

"First of all, that isn't little. Second. No. I'm not," she said, as steady as possible. Vaughn knew she was scared, but wouldn't let her know that.

They went on the ride, and Sydney grabbed a hold of his shirt and kept it the whole ride. He looked at her hands once, and her knuckles were white. He put his hand over hers, as if it were reassurance.

After they got off, Sydney gave him a death glare. She was not happy. Luckily, it was her turn to choose something.

"Let's go on the Ferris wheel." Vaughn inwardly groaned. He still had an adrenaline rush from the roller coaster, but gave in, because it was her turn.

They sat as a normal couple would on a Ferris wheel, snuggled close together, giving the occasional kiss and talking. When they got off, it was approaching three o'clock. They hadn't eaten lunch, so they decided to go by what used to be Francie's restaurant. It was still called Francie's, but the atmosphere had changed. Sydney didn't feel as welcome as she did before. They ate and paid and left, without much said to any of the staff.

After they left the restaurant, they went to the Boat Parade, to find that it was half way over. It was still fun to watch. The boaters had music playing and smiles on their faces as they waved to the crowds. The parade only lasted another hour and it was starting to get dark.

After a long drive through the city, they reached Mulholland Boulevard. The lights on the houses were more beautiful than she remembered. They had really 'gone all out' as Angela would say.

"I miss this. I haven't been able to see the lights for a while, with all the missions they've sent me on, I didn't get a chance to see them. The last time I remember doing this was about 5 years ago."

"Really? I went last year, and they were beautiful. I thought for sure that you would have seen them."

"I'm glad I got to do it this time."

"This was fun." They sat in silence again, each thinking about different things. Vaughn's mind drifted to what tomorrow would bring. Sydney's was thinking about last Christmas.

"Tomorrow is Christmas." Vaughn said, taking her from her reverie.

"It is."

"What are you doing? Is your father going to be coming back?"

"I don't think he is. What about you?"

"I usually go to my mom's for Christmas dinner. You are welcome to come, if you want. My mother would love that I brought you. She doesn't like Lauren, and knows about the divorce. She called me yesterday wondering if I had anyone to come with me for dinner. I told her no, but to stop looking." Sydney just smiled.

"Are you sure you want me to meet your mom?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Sydney just looked at him, with an indescribable look. "What? Because of our history, you don't think she would want to me you? I'm going to tell you exactly the same thing she would- you are nothing like your mother. You are beautiful, and thoughtful, and passionate, and I could go on forever. You would never do anything to hurt anyone you love, and you would go the distance to protect them, and I love you, so I know she will."

"Thank you. I still don't think I should go. It is Christmas. You are supposed to be with your family. I shouldn't be tagging along."

"You wouldn't be." They pulled up to Jack's house. Sydney let out a sigh. She didn't want to leave Vaughn, but she knew what she could and couldn't do. She knew she had to leave.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," she said, as she got out of the car.

"Okay. Goodnight, Sydney."

"Night." She walked up the front walk, got out her key, and went inside. She noticed the living room light was on, and decided to turn it off. As she arrived in the room, she saw something shocking.

She saw her father, sitting in a chair, reading the paper. It was so domestic, and so unlike him. It took her only a second longer to notice the large Christmas tree, with presents underneath.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Hi, dad. You finished early?"

"Yes. I didn't want you to be alone for Christmas. Did you have fun today with Agent Vaughn?" His questions confused her. He was being so 'father-like'. It was very unlike him.

"We went to the carnival, and the parade, and down Mulholland Boulevard."

"Did you enjoy seeing the lights again?"

"Yes." There was a brief pause. They had run out of things to say. They still had issues between them, and they would sometimes run out of things to say. "I should go to bed. Vaughn invited me to have Christmas with he and his mom."

"Oh. So, are you going to?"

"I think so."

"You know Sydney, that if his mother doesn't like you, then things with you and Vaughn may become stressed." She just nodded, and turned toward the stairs.

After they left the restaurant, they went to the Boat Parade, to find that it was half way over. It was still fun to watch. The boaters had music playing and smiles on their faces as they waved to the crowds. The parade only lasted another hour and it was starting to get dark.

After a long drive through the city, they reached Mulholland Boulevard. The lights on the houses were more beautiful than she remembered. They had really 'gone all out' as Angela would say.

"I miss this. I haven't been able to see the lights for a while, with all the missions they've sent me on, I didn't get a chance to see them. The last time I remember doing this was about 5 years ago."

"Really? I went last year, and they were beautiful. I thought for sure that you would have seen them."

"I'm glad I got to do it this time."

"This was fun." They sat in silence again, each thinking about different things. Vaughn's mind drifted to what tomorrow would bring. Sydney's was thinking about last Christmas.

"Tomorrow is Christmas." Vaughn said, taking her from her reverie.

"It is."

"What are you doing? Is your father going to be coming back?"

"I don't think he is. What about you?"

"I usually go to my mom's for Christmas dinner. You are welcome to come, if you want. My mother would love that I brought you. She doesn't like Lauren, and knows about the divorce. She called me yesterday wondering if I had anyone to come with me for dinner. I told her no, but to stop looking." Sydney just smiled.

"Are you sure you want me to meet your mom?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Sydney just looked at him, with an indescribable look. "What? Because of our history, you don't think she would want to me you? I'm going to tell you exactly the same thing she would- you are nothing like your mother. You are beautiful, and thoughtful, and passionate, and I could go on forever. You would never do anything to hurt anyone you love, and you would go the distance to protect them, and I love you, so I know she will."

"Thank you. I still don't think I should go. It is Christmas. You are supposed to be with your family. I shouldn't be tagging along."

"You wouldn't be." They pulled up to Jack's house. Sydney let out a sigh. She didn't want to leave Vaughn, but she knew what she could and couldn't do. She knew she had to leave.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," she said, as she got out of the car.

"Okay. Goodnight, Sydney."

"Night." She walked up the front walk, got out her key, and went inside. She noticed the living room light was on, and decided to turn it off. As she arrived in the room, she saw something shocking.

She saw her father, sitting in a chair, reading the paper. It was so domestic, and so unlike him. It took her only a second longer to notice the large Christmas tree, with presents underneath.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Hi, dad. You finished early?"

"Yes. I didn't want you to be alone for Christmas. Did you have fun today with Agent Vaughn?" His questions confused her. He was being so 'father-like'. It was very unlike him.

"We went to the carnival, and the parade, and down Mulholland Boulevard."

"Did you enjoy seeing the lights again?"

"Yes." There was a brief pause. They had run out of things to say. They still had issues between them, and they would sometimes run out of things to say. "I should go to bed. Vaughn invited me to have Christmas with he and his mom."

"Oh. So, are you going to?"

"I think so."

"You know Sydney, that if his mother doesn't like you, then things with you and Vaughn may become stressed." She just nodded, and turned toward the stairs.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

**(Flashback cont'd)**  
_The next afternoon, Vaughn picked up Sydney's and they went to his mom's. She was nervous. What would she think of her? How would she react to the news about her mother and his father? Would she like Sydney? Should she even tell her? What if she got mad about Sydney not telling her when they first met? What if she likes Lauren or Alice better than me?_

"Stop worrying," he said. She had always wondered how he knew exactly what she was thinking. It never ceased to amaze her. 

"Last chance to back out of wanting me to meet her."

"Not a chance." Sydney smiled. She was glad to have someone with that much faith in her. She was still nervous, but he had helped.

When they arrived, they walked to the front door hand in hand. He knocked on the door, and they waited. After a minute, the door swung open and Sydney was met with a woman who, on any other occasion, she would never think looked like Vaughn. The only truly recognizable feature was her smile, something Sydney was happy to see. She hoped it wouldn't go away.

"Bonjour, Michel!" (Hello Michael)

"Bonjour, Maman!" (Hello Mom) They gave each other kisses on both cheeks, as custom in France.

"Qui l'est?" (Who is she?)

"Ma nom est Sydney." (My name is Sydney)

"Oh, and she speaks French."

"Oui, Maman." (Yes, Mom)

"Come inside, children. We are letting out the cool air." After they came inside and shut the door, Sydney decided it was time to tell her. She wouldn't be able to go through dinner without telling her.

"Mrs. Vaughn."

"Yes, dear?" she said, with her French accent.

"My mother killed your husband. I had to tell you. I knew that I wouldn't be able to go through this meal without telling you." Amelie's eyes began to tear up. She turned and left the room.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," Sydney said, her eyes filling with tears, too.

"Sydney, it's ok. She will be fine." He took her hand, "Come with me." He led her into the kitchen. There, they found Amelie sitting at the table, drying her eyes.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Vaughn."

"You have no reason to be sorry, dear. William died a long time ago. I know that you didn't kill him. I know now that you are nothing like your mother. I know it took a lot of courage to be able to tell me that. I did already know that it was your mother that killed him, but, I never thought she would have a daughter as beautiful as you."

"How did you know?"

"Michael told me when he found out a few years ago. He was in love with you even then. I have to thank you for saving him, though. If it weren't for you, I would have lost my only link between William and me, so thank you."

"You have no reason to thank me."

"Yes, I do. I've never seen my son both so happy and sad at the same time, except when he talks about you. It's a shame what a mess this divorce is." She said with a smile. 

They sat and talked while the food was finishing cooking. They sat down and had a nice dinner and then opened presents. Amelie gave Vaughn a new watch, and much to Sydney's surprise, Amelie gave her a bracelet. Vaughn gave his mother a day at a spa, claiming she needed a day to relax and stop worrying about him so much, and a charm for the bracelet that he gave her years ago.   
**End Flashback**

**Flashback**  
_It was only a day after she got back that she was required back at work. It probably would have been the day she returned, but it was 10:00 PM when she arrived at the airport._

"Have a good Christmas?" Angela said, in her usual happy tone.

"Yeah. Spent it with Vaughn and his mom."

"How did that go?"

"Good, all things considering." After a moment, she laughed. "I spend too much time with you, I'm starting to sound like you."

"And what's wrong with that? Personally, I'm offended." She said, mockingly. "So what happened?"

"I told her, as soon as we got there, and she broke down, and then I apologized and she said I had nothing to apologize for-"

"You don't, ya know."

"-And we had a good Christmas, and my father came home early, and we spent a Christmas together."

"That's good, right?"

"Yea. But he said something about if Vaughn's mom didn't like me, things could become stressed between Vaughn and me."

"He does have a point. But I agree, that's weird."  
**End Flashback**

A month and a half later, back in Los Angeles, Vaughn was in a briefing with Dixon and Jack.

"We have recently learned that Lauren Reed works for the Covenant," Dixon said, "We have a video of her murdering Lazaray."

"We've tracked her phone calls, and whereabouts. Some of her calls have been to Sark, and even Sloane. We think she was set up to marry you, as a swallow agent."

"What do I need to do?"

"Right now, you can't do anything. She hasn't been in the office in a week and a half. We've tracked her to her father's home in London. When she comes back, we will arrest her."

"Why not arrest her there?"

"It will raise suspicion with the Covenant. She may have it guarded. We don't want to risk our men by going there. She still has things in your house. She has to come back. Europe is enforcing a new law that permits only a certain amount of bank withdrawals in a certain amount of time from travelers. She has almost reached her limit. She may be arrested if she withdrawals much more."

"Have you told anyone else?" 

"No. We have also recently found out that Robert Lindsay was working with the Covenant, and we don't know who ordered his execution, but we are also being led to believe there is another mole here. Agent Vaughn, you will not tell Sydney, or Eric Weiss." 

"I'm in agreement with Jack on this, you may not tell anyone."

"Yes, sir."

"I want you to go to where Lauren is, and put a tracking device on her. You will need to sedate her, first, because it will be painful to her. She will react, but I would suggest that you do it while she is asleep."

**Flashback**  
_Vaughn left for London immediately, and arrived at about 10PM London time. He got a taxi to take him to the house. Having been there before, he knew where it was. When he arrived, he noticed that it was in fact guarded, heavily. There were guards at the door, and some circling the house. It was what could be considered a mansion._

He got out and walked to the front door.

"Halt!" a guard shouted. He stopped. "Who are you? What relation do you have with Ms. Reed? 

"I'm her husband. I need to give her something."

"Ms. Reed is asleep. She does not need to be disturbed. Come back in the morning."

"This is urgent." He moved forward. The guard shot him. The bullet went to his stomach. He blacked out.

"Redmond, this is Agent Peters. Our whereabouts have been identified. They know we are here. I just shot Ms. Reed's husband. We need to move now."

From a distance, Eric Weiss watched. He waited for the guard to disappear before going to get Michael. It only took a minute before the guard was out of site. He quickly ran to Vaughn's side.

"Mike! Can you hear me?" There was a nod in response, but because of the darkness, Eric didn't see it.

Eric picked up Michael and carried him to the car he rented. He drove him to the airport, where he had called for a medic. They flew to Washington, where he was raced to the CIA hospital.  
**End Flashback**

Sydney lay there, wrapped in Eric Weiss's arms, and a single tear running down her cheek.


	18. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

After the doctor released Michael, he stayed at Sydney's. Sydney stayed home with him for the first three days, but Borel ordered her to return.

One afternoon, a few days later that week, Angela and Sydney had a late lunch together.

"Why didn't you tell me Michael was so hot?" Sydney gave her a confused look. She had no idea where this was coming from.

"I thought you were crazy not to take him back. That was before I saw him. Now I think you were temporarily insane!" she laughed. Angela saw Sydney smile for the first time in a while. She kept herself worried about going to Santa Barbara.

"What do you think of Eric?"

"He seemed really nice, really funny. Does he really like yo-yos that much?"

"I bought him a case for Christmas."

"Are you kidding me?" Sydney shook her head. "Oh my gosh!"

When Sydney got home that evening, it was about 6. She called out Vaughn's name only to get a 'in the living room' for a response. She walked in to find him sitting on the couch with a big smile on his face.

"What?"

"I did it. I'm free."

"What? How?"

"The annulment. Because we were married under false pretenses, it could be annulled. Lauren didn't have to be present for it to go through." Sydney practically ran around the couch and landed in his lap. Her lips met his, hungrily and passionately.

Eventually, due to lack of air, they broke apart. They rest their heads together, not wanting to be apart.

"It will be finalized tomorrow." Sydney sighed. She knew they wouldn't- couldn't be together tonight. It was their last night.

"Vaughn. I think you should sleep in the guest room tonight." They had been sleeping in Sydney's bed for the past week. Sydney knew that she wouldn't be able to trust herself with him the last night. She also knew that she wouldn't be his mistress, even if it were only a couple of hours.

He understood, and nodded. He had slept better in the past week than any other night since Christmas. He understood the risks of something happening tonight if they were to stay in the same bed.

"How does a movie sound?"

"Good."

"Great. Pick one out and I will go change for bed. I made dinner earlier, it's on the stove." Sydney nodded and walked in to the kitchen.

Vaughn got up and walked to Sydney's room. He picked up his phone and called Weiss.

"Hello?"

"Weiss. It's Vaughn."  
"Hey man. What's up?"

"I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure."

It was a while later when Vaughn returned from the room. He had changed after getting off the phone with Weiss. He found Sydney in the kitchen, checking on all that he had prepared. It was pork chops and mashed potatoes and gravy. It smelled great.

After dinner, Sydney and Vaughn settled on watching Love Actually in celebration of the coming Valentine's Day, and Sydney had a 'thing' for foreigners, but Vaughn didn't need to know that.

There were moments in the movie, when Sydney wished that were she and Vaughn, and others that she was happy to be herself.

Sometime after the movie, Vaughn's cell phone rang. He got up off of the couch, where they were stretched out, to answer it.

"Vaughn."

"Vaughn. It's Eric. I talked to the lawyer. Good news, it can be done tomorrow. Bad news, you have to be in Los Angeles." Vaughn let out a sigh. He knew that would be the case.

"Okay. I'll be there. Thanks man."

"Anytime." There was a silent moment. "Put Syd on the phone."

"Why?"

"I need to ask her something."

"Fine." He handed the phone to Syd, who was confused.

"Weiss."

"Oh." She took the phone.

"Eric?"

"The one and only."

"What's up?"

"I was wondering if I could get Angela's number. I'm going to be there for Valentine's Day. Maybe we can do something." Sydney smiled.

"Weiss likes a girl! Weiss likes a girl!" She said, in a singsong voice. Eric laughed.

When she stopped, he asked again.

"639-821-9103"

"Thank you." 

"Welcome."

"Tell Vaughn I said 'bye' and I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Bye, Eric."  
"Bye, Syd." Syd gave the phone back to Vaughn. She looked at him. He had a sad look in his eyes.

"What?"

"I have to go to Los Angeles."

"When?"

"As soon as I can get there. I have to be in Los Angeles to sign the annulment." Sydney nodded. She loved waking up with Vaughn there. She knew that she couldn't take off for a week. The CIA wouldn't allow it. They needed her too much. They almost didn't let her take off next weekend, when she was supposed to go to Santa Barbara with Vaughn, but finally relented, knowing that she would go with or without permission. Typical stubborn Sydney.

"Do you know when the next flight out is?"

"Not until morning, early."

"I should call the airlines." She nodded.

"I'm going to go change for bed.

When Vaughn got to Los Angeles, he drove to his lawyer's office.

"Michael."

"Mr. Williams. Do you have the papers ready for me to sign."

"Yes." He took a few papers out of his briefcase. "Here they are. I need you to sign in a few places." He pointed to a spot. "There." Michael hurriedly signed. "There. There. There, and there." 

"Thank you." Michael shook his hand.

"You are very welcome." Michael left the building with a smile on his face. He was finally free.


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Vaughn called Sydney as soon as he left the building.

"I'm free."

"Really?"

"Really. We are going to go to Santa Barbara next weekend, as planned."

"Great. I will see you then."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Michael."

The week went by, painstakingly slow. They knew that the day was coming, and they couldn't wait. Angela, of course, had made matters worse. She was happy to have Eric to spend Valentine's Day with. Sydney was happy for her, but slightly jealous, only because she missed being in Vaughn's arms.

Vaughn, however, was busy making plans. He knew this weekend had to be perfect. They were going to relax, and have fun. It was going to be one of the best vacations either had seen in a long time. They were going to go to dinner, and walk on the beach. They were going to get some rest, at least, as much as two lovers could.

This weekend was going to be a celebration for both of them. For Vaughn, it would be because he has Sydney back. She was back in his arms, and back from "the dead." He was free of his marriage. He could openly express his love for her. There were no restraints keeping him tied down.

For Sydney, it was a celebration to have Vaughn back. She had spent many nights crying over him. She missed being held in his arms after a night of passion. She missed being woken up by the sun and he being the first thing she saw. She missed his beautiful green eyes. She missed the shine she once saw in them. She missed how he would take care of her and comfort her when she had broken down. She couldn't wait to feel that again.

Thursday afternoon, she boarded her flight to Los Angeles. She anxiously sat through the whole flight. She couldn't sleep, as much as she tried. She knew that he would be waiting for her when she arrived.

As the plane descended, and she left the terminal, a smile appeared on Vaughn's face. She was finally here. They were going to Santa Barbara. They would get their happy ending.

Their eyes met. A smile appeared on Sydney's face, one that mirrored Vaughn's. She rushed to his arms. Their lips met, for another passionate kiss. When they broke apart, their smiles were bigger, if that were possible.

"I don't want to be away from you that long again, even if it was only two days."

"I hope that won't ever happen. Come on-" Before he could finish, his pager went off. He looked back up at her, regretfully.

"That's Dixon." She nodded understandingly.

"Santa Barbara can wait a few more hours."

"Not too long." He smiled at her.

Vaughn took Sydney to the task force after getting her bags. While he was being briefed, she went to see Carrie. She had called her before she flew in to find that she was required back at work.

When they entered the building, Jack greeted them. He hugged Sydney.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hello, Sweetheart."

"Do you know what the briefing is about, Jack?"

"No, I don't."

"I should go." Vaughn kissed Sydney on the cheek. While 'Agent Vaughn' was not afraid of the older 'Agent Bristow', Michael was still terrified of Jack. Sydney knew what he was thinking and smiled. It was funny to her that her father intimidated her strong, smart boyfriend, even after they had been working together for so long.

After having a short conversation with her father, she went in search of Carrie. She found her, sitting in Marshall's office, rocking Anna. 

"I hear from Eric that I'm being replaced," Carrie said with a smile.

"Who? Angela? Nah… she was temporary," Sydney replied, with another smile.

"Welcome back. I would get up to hug you, but I can't…be bothered." Sydney laughed and hugged her. "You've been missed around here. Vaughn was going crazy. Eric would make it worse by talking about Angela—The boy has it bad. Then, of course, there is me, who has no one to talk to." This was common between the two. There was always a friendly banter between them.

"I'm going to have to meet this Angela person who thinks she can take my place." Sydney laughed again. "Wow. That's the most I've seen you smile in a long time."

"It's amazing what love does to you."

"It sure is." Carrie and Sydney continued talking for a while. Vaughn came in, with a smile on his face. He greeted Sydney with a passionate kiss.

"Okay. We have little eyes here." They broke apart. Sydney smiled.

"So. The girl has to learn how she was made." She said, her eyes never leaving Vaughn's."

"Not at 15 months!"

"Fine. We're leaving anyway. Ready?"

"Yea. Bye Carrie," Vaughn said.

"Bye, bunnies," she replied, as they walked out the door."

"That's not the first time we've been called that." Sydney laughed and nodded.

After Vaughn finished clearing his desk, they got in the car and headed for Santa Barbara.

"What was the briefing about?" Sydney asked later.

"Lauren. They've found her. They asked me to be a part of the team to capture her. I told them 'no'. I told them that I was going on vacation with you, and if they objected, they should talk to Jack about it. That made Dixon give in quickly." Sydney laughed again.

"My father really intimidates you, doesn't he?"

"Yes. Me and everyone else in the CIA."

They entered a comfortable silence. Vaughn grabbed Sydney's hand and gave it a loving squeeze. Not long after, Sydney fell asleep.

Some time later, Vaughn stopped the car. He got out and went around to Sydney's side. He caressed her cheek enough to make her stir. Her eyes opened, and she smiled at him.

"We're here."

"Vaughn. Help me up." He helped her out of the car. They each put an arm protectively and possessively around the other's back.

"You are just full of smiles today, aren't you?" He said as they walked inside.


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Their arrival and check-in was a smooth one. From the moment she walked into the hotel, Sydney was in love with its beauty. Since it was already late, they decided to get some rest. Sydney would just have her fun later. They would explore the hotel tomorrow. 

The next morning greeted them with the sun shining brightly through the window. It was 8AM, but too early for Sydney's taste. She enjoyed being wrapped in Vaughn's arm. It felt right. She felt safe.

"Morning," he said.

"Morning." She paused for a moment, looking into his almost emerald eyes. They were the most beautiful when he first opened them. They were the deepest green then. "I missed this."

"I did too." He had immediatly known what she was talking about. She missed waking up with him after a night of passion and love. She missed looking into his eyes early in the morning. She missed the sunlight greeting them too early for their liking. Truthfully, he missed it, too.

They spent their day on the beach, walking hand in hand. They truly looked like a couple in love.

"This seems so surreal." Sydney said later, as they were sitting on the beach. "We always dreamed of going away and we didn't get to. It all seems like a dream." 

"Yes, it does. I didn't think this day would ever come."

"I didn't either."

"Let's go swimming."

"Vaughn. The pool is freezing."

"No, it's heated. I checked when I made the reservations."

"Would this have anything to do with a certain orange bikini that I found in my suitcase?"

"Which answer will get you to wear it?"

"Michael Vaughn!" She playfully slapped his arm. 

After a playful banter, Sydney changed to her bikini.

She was first to get in the pool. Vaughn decided at the last minute to change his swimsuit. About five minutes later, he appeared in the pool area.

"Get in! It feels great," Sydney said. She was the only one in the pool. He laughed at the irony. When he secretly put it in her suitcase, he hoped they would be alone. When they were talking that morning, he hoped that they wouldn't be because he didn't know if he could control himself if she had that particular suit on. Now, she had it on, and looked fabulous, and they were alone.

He dove in, so as not to give away what he was thinking, only to be met with freezing cold water.

"Ah!" he yelped, "This is freezing." Sydney laughed. "I'm going to get you for that, Bristow." He began to swim after her. Because the pool was rectangular, she eventually became trapped. Vaughn put his arms on either side of her head, and his feet on either side of her thighs, both touching the wall, to make sure that she didn't try to get away.

He brought his lips to her jawbone, then to her neck, then to the sensitive spot behind her ear. She let out a moan. It was barely audible, but Vaughn heard it. He smiled and pushed off against the wall away from her. Sydney knew what he was doing. She chased after him, only to catch him in the middle of the deep end of the pool.

At the exact moment she tried to grab him, he went under the water and swam to her backside. He reached for her calves and pulled her under. She yelped at his surprise.

Sydney suddenly got an idea. She reached for the bottom of his shorts. She pulled them down just a little. Not too much, but it was enough to be noticeable. They were defiantly too low. After leaving his state of slight shock, Michael fixed his shorts and swam off in search of Sydney. He soon caught up with her and did exactly the same thing. They came to the surface, out of breath.

"Michael Vaughn! There are children in the rooms around the pool!" Sydney exclaimed.

"Sydney Bristow! There are children in the rooms around the pool!" Michael mimicked. They both laughed. Sydney swam over to him, as if to hug him. When she reached him, she moved her foot and pulled his shorts down slightly, again. Then, she quickly swam away. This went on for about half an hour. Finally, they were getting tired, and cold.

"Vaughn, hold me. I'm getting cold."

"We should get out. You can take a warm bath."

"Okay." They got out of the pool and wrapped towels around themselves. They walked into the hotel only to be met with cold air. They rushed to get to their room. The guests around them thought they were in such a hurry for other reasons. They remembered what it was like to be young and in love, without the bonds of marriage or children.

When Sydney and Michael reached the room, Sydney noticed the room was bathed in candlelight. She noticed rose petals on the bed, and a single red long-stem rose on her pillow.

She stood there, surprised. Vaughn came behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered softly as he put his chin on her right shoulder. She turned in his arms to face him. She kissed him. It was passionate. It was to say 'thank you,' 'Happy Valentine's Day', and 'I love you' all at the same time. Soon their passionate kiss escalated, and Sydney led him toward the bed. Their wet swimsuits were tossed on the floor. It was time for their love to be conveyed to each other.

They made love for the first time in three and a half years. It took them all night. They eventually fell into a deep sleep. They both had smiles on their faces, and they were the happiest they had ever been in a long time.

The next morning, Sydney woke up alone, only to hear the shower running then turning off. She looked at the clock on the nightstand. It read 9:30. She smiled remembering the last time she slept that late.

She heard Vaughn open the door. She grabbed something to cover herself and went through her bag. She got some clothes and saw Michael leaving the bathroom.

"Morning," he said with a kiss.

"Morning. Take a shower with me?" she asked.

"I just took one," he said, knowing what she was asking.

"I didn't," she replied with a suggestive smile. He caved. He couldn't get enough of her. They showered again, together, after pursuing another source of activities. This caused their morning to go by quickly. After they got out, they started talking about what they could do today.

"I want to get something to eat. I'm not sure about you, but I haven't eaten since lunch, yesterday.

"Lunch sounds good right about now." Vaughn's stomach growled. They both laughed.

"After lunch, I think we should go horseback riding."

"I used to love doing that as a little girl. My… mother used to take me."

"Sydney, you don't have to be so cautious about you say. You are not your mother. I don't see her when I look at you. I see you, this beautiful, strong, talented woman. She is your mother. You are allowed to love her, and not feel guilty," he said with a sad smile.

"Thank you," she said, and hugged him.

After lunch, they went horseback riding. Sydney rode a bay mare, (Spice) and Vaughn rode a Palomino Stallion (Sugar).

The owner told him that Sugar his feminine name from his daughter, who was four at the time. They rode along the beach as the sun was setting. It was their last day there.

One the drive home, Sydney and Vaughn talked.

"We did it. We spent a whole weekend in Santa Barbara. I still feel like I'm dreaming."

"I do, too." There was a comfortable silence before Vaughn spoke again. "Are you going to stay with me tonight, or are you going to back to Washington?"

"I have to catch the next flight out when we reach Los Angeles."

"Okay. I'll drive you to the airport."

"What about Donovan? Hasn't he been alone all of this time?"

"No, Marshall and Carrie have been taking care of him."

"Oh."

"Eric seemed to be really in to Angela."

"Yes, he did."

"I mean, he would almost talk about her non-stop."

"Angela has too." They smiled. They world was right again. They were together. Their friends each had someone. Carrie had had her baby. Everyone was happy.  
It wasn't until three months later when Sydney returned to Los Angeles. On a clear night in May, Sydney and Vaughn walked down the pier hand in hand.

Vaughn's attention was not solely on Sydney. He was also concentrating on finding a special spot. It was the reason he wanted to come here. When they reached it, his eyes lit up. He led her to the exact spot. He checked his pockets. He got down on one knee and began to speak.

"This is the spot, the exact spot where we met that night. The night I knew I loved you. I knew the moment you grabbed my hand. The first night we spent together, I knew you were the one. That one person you know you should spend the rest of your life with. I know that we've only been together about three months, but we were together three months before all of this happened. The thing is, when you know you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want them to know it as soon as possible. So, Sydney Anne Bristow, will you spend the rest of your life with me? Will you marry me?" Sydney had tears streaming down her cheeks.

The Hotel

The Ring


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The afternoon after Michael's proposal, Sydney called Angela.

"I'm getting married!"

Sydney's smile faded. She was being woken by violent shaking and a little voice calling her.

"Mommy! Mommy! Wake up!" the little girl cried. Sydney turned over to face her. She could see the tears on her cheeks. Her big brown eyes shadowed with fear.

"What is it, Emma?"

"I had a nightmare. The big monster one," the five-year-old cried, "Can I come sleep here with you and Daddy?" Sydney smiled. She loved that term, even after five years.

"Yes, honey," a male voice said. It was Michael. He had woken up. Emma climbed into bed. Sydney held her close. Michael wrapped an arm protectively around them, resting his hand on Sydney's.

"I know what you were dreaming," he whispered.

"You do?"

"You still talk in your sleep." Sydney laughed quietly.

"What did I say?"

"It was from the argument at Marshall and Carrie's wedding, then I heard you say you were getting married, so I'm going to assume that you were talking to Angela."

"Michael, I-" she was interrupted.

"Mommy, can you talk to Daddy in the morning? Please?"

"Sorry, honey," she whispered. The family fell asleep, quickly.

Early the next morning, Sydney woke up. She smiled at the normalcy of her situation. She hurried to the bathroom, after carefully crawling out of bed. She got herself ready for the day, showering and applying light make-up.

She walked to the kitchen and began to make breakfast.

About half an hour later, Michael came into the kitchen, and wrapped his arms around Sydney's waist. He kissed her neck. She turned to face him and gave him a quick kiss.  
"Morning."

"Morning," she replied and went back to her cooking. "So, are we going out to dinner tonight?"

"Yeah. I have the reservations made for seven."

"Okay. Can you wake up Emma? Breakfast is ready and she'll be late for school soon." Michael nodded and left. Seconds later, he returned with a sleepy little girl in his arms. 

"Breakfast time." The Vaughns ate their breakfast together.

"Mommy, can I have some more strawberries? Please?"

"Not this morning. You already finished all of the sugar to dip it in. You can have more tomorrow. Finish your sausage." Emma finished her food.

"Time to go get ready for school. You are going to the zoo today!"

"To the zoo!" Emma repeated. She laughed. She quickly scurried down from the chair and ran to the stairs. She tried to climb them as quickly as possible. Sydney laughed and followed her up the stairs to help her get dressed.

A few minutes later, Sydney and Emma came down the stairs to find Michael waiting at the bottom.

"Time to go to the zoo, Emma." Michael said. This was Sydney's least favorite part of the day. She loved her students- they were 3rd graders, but she didn't like being away from her family.

Michael worked for a prominent law firm. They left the CIA after they had gotten married. Now, every morning, he would take Emma to school because it was closer to where he worked than Sydney.

Emma was smarter than the average five-year-old. She went to a magnet school.

"Are you picking up Emma tonight, or do you want me to?" Michael asked.

"No, I will. I will take her to Eric and Angela's. I'm sure she'd love to play with Lindsey and Jacob."

Lindsey was their babysitter. Jacob, who was only four, was Emma's best friend, after Samantha, her imaginary friend, and Emily, her doll, of course.

Angela and Eric had gotten married about two months before Emma was born. Sydney and Michael were the maid of honor and best man, respectively, at their wedding.

Michael kissed Sydney and said 'goodbye', took Emma's hand and left. Sydney put the remainder of the dishes in the sink- the maid would do them later, and left for work.

She went through her day, distractedly. She had a few conferences, and watched the kids play at recess. Her thoughts were on the plans she and Michael had this evening.

After school, she rushed across town and picked up Emma. She didn't want to be late for she and Michael's dinner date.

"Did you have fun at the zoo?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"What did you see?"

"A big giraffe, and some tigers. Some monkey's were really loud and hurt my ears, and I saw some big birds, but they weren't yellow, they were ugly and brown." Sydney nodded.

"What else did you do today?"

"We learnt minus today. And I took a nap. I wasn't tired though, and I played with Emily at recess, but George took her away and made fun of me. And made me cry, but Ms. Anna got him in trouble and he had to sit in time-out."

"Did he apologize?"

"No, ma'am. Ms. Anna told him to, but he wouldn't." Sydney pulled in Angela's driveway and stopped the car.

"Oh. Well, we're here. You want to go play with Jacob?" Emma nodded. She tried, as best she could, to get out of her car seat. Sydney unbuckled the last buckle and helped her out of the car. She ran to the door.

Emma rang the doorbell- it was one of her favorites in town. Lindsey opened the door.

"Mrs. Vaughn! How are you?"

"Good, thank you. Thanks for taking Emma."

"Not a problem." She bent down to Emma's height. "Do you want to come play with Jacob? He is in the game room watching a movie." Emma ran past them, without answering.

"Sorry to drop her and run. I have to be ready for tonight." Lindsey was almost always at Angela's with Jacob. Sydney had become close to her. Lindsey was about twenty-five, so Sydney thought of her as a younger sister that she never had.

Sydney hurried home and got ready. Tonight was going to be very special. Sydney curled her hair, and put it up. It was long again. She put on Michael's favorite red dress and went off in search of her shoes. At precisely six-thirty, Michael drove in. He brought in a bouquet of roses, and took out one. He went to the bedroom, in search of Sydney.

"Hi," he said. His mouth had gone dry, when he looked at her. His heart was pounding. She still had that affect on him.

"Hi."

"You shouldn't have worn that dress. I might not be able to make it through dinner," he said, huskily. She giggled.

"Then we should go, to hurry back."

"Yes. And this rose is for you." He said, finally handing it to her.

"Thank you."

About halfway through dinner, they decided to dance. While they loved Emma, they missed nights like this. Nights with no worries. Sydney rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Vaughn." Michael knew she wanted his attention. She never called him that anymore.

"Vaughn, I'm pregnant." Michael stopped. Sydney backed away a step, to look in his eyes. He was shocked, and thrilled. "The doctor told me a couple days ago."

"We're going to have another baby?" Sydney nodded.

"Yes, one more for the hockey team."

"I love you, Sydney Vaughn." Vaughn brought her closer to him and he gave her a sweet, gentle kiss.


End file.
